Pipe-wrench.



J. MAHER.

PIPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 15, 1911.

Patented J an. 30, 1912.

. AENT OFFICE.

JAMES MAHER, OF EAST LIVERPOOL, OHIO.

PIPE-WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent; I Patented'J 3,11, 30, 1912, Application filed June 15, 1911. Serial No 633,22 1.- v

To all whom it may concern:

Be Elgnown that I, JAMES MAKER, a citi- ,zen-ef-the United States of America, residing at East Liverpool, in the county of Columbiana and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe-Wrenches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This'invention relates to pipe wrenches. and more particularly to that type com-. monly-styled a chain wrench.

My invention aims to provide :F irst, positive and reliable means, in a manner as will be hereinafter set forth, for gripping the free end of a 'chain, whereby the greater the leverage brought to bear upon, the wrench, the greater the chain is gripped, thereby avoiding all liability of the chain slipping relatively to the wrench when in use. above type that can be advantageously used in the oil fields for rotating casings, tubings, coupling flanges, sleeves and other cylindrical bodies. Third, to provide a gripping mechanism consisting of comparatively few parts, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble and capable of withstanding the rough usage to which it is subjected. These and such other objects asmay hereinafter appear are attained. by a combination of elements that will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be-had to the drawing, wherein 35. Figure 1. i s-a side elevation of a portion 7 of the same, Fig. 8 is a plan of a portion of ofa wrench in accordance with thisinven tion, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view the wrench, and Fig. dis a bottomplan of a portion of the wrenchin position upon the collar or sleeve of a casing.

A wrench iifaccordance withthis. invention comprises a lever 1 that .canbe' of-any desired length, said lever having one .end thereof enlarged to provide a. head 2 and the head 2 is bifurcated to provide a. longitudinal sl0t 3 having'the outer end'thereof open. The outer end of the head 2 isprovided with transversely alining. openings at and arranged in these openings is a pivot pin 5 having the ends thereof upset or-provided with'heads 6, whereby the pin will be retained in engagement with said head.

Pivotally mounted upon the pin 5 are the apertui'ed ears 7 of a gripping jaw 8, said jaw having the outer end thereof provided Second, to provide a wrench of the.

. -Arranged transverselyecf witH concave face,'.wn1ch is toothed or serrated, as at 9 to present a surface thatwill readily grip the surface of a pipe or casing.

'Pivotally mounted.;i.ipon the pin 5 between the ears 7 is't-he eye 10 of an angular link 11 and to this link is pivotally connected a chain 12 of the ordinary and well known type consisting of center links 18and side links 14-, these links'having concave edges. The angular link 11 has one edge thereof disposed at an anglejas at 15 to engage the lower angular face .16 of the jaw 8, the

face of said jaw limiting-the upward move- -1nent of the link 11 and in some instances,

the face 16 has-the advantage of bracing the link 11 when pressure is brought to bear upon the link by tightening the chain 12. As will be seen, this r-elativearra ngement of parts provides. for a pivotal mounting of both the: jaw 8 and the chain link-1O on the single pin 5, the jaw and link being mounted between the ears of the jaw. This construction provides a number of advantages, among which -may be included the fact that the jaw may have an extended sur'faceadapted to contact with the pipe or article to be turned without eliminating 1 any material portion of the strength of the jaw and withoutincreasing the width of the wrench as a whole; at the same time,

.t-he link is compact and practically extends :in alinement with the chain so that the pressure in operation extends in practically under certain conditions of use, act as a reinforce for the jaw.

' Mounted in the slot 3, intermediate the ends thereof, and in.proximity to the cars independently movable, while the link "is i a straight .line; in addition, the link may,

7 and the eye 10 is a block 17, which is retained-in the. slot 3- by transverse rivets 18 orsimilarfastening means. The rear face of the' block is scalloped or shaped, as at 19 to present-asurface with which the chain 12 can snugly engage, the sur' face of the block 17 corresponding n--cona gripping membe'ff'21-v havdngfthe iower end thereof shaped, as at 22 to engage the concave edges of the links 13 and 1 1. The member 21 has an upwardly extending pin or handle 23 by which said member is 5 moved, and to retain said member in an The forward end of the spring is bi-furcated, at 26 to provide clearance for the pip or handle 23 and the forward end of sald spring presses upon the member 21, as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The stress of this spring is sufficient to hold the member in either of the positions shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing. \Vith the gripping member 21 in an open position, the end of the chain 12 can be easily carried through the slot 3 to rest upon the surface 19 of the block 17. By then swinging the member 21. in engagement with the chain, the chain will be held against the block. With the 25 jaw 8 in engagement with the pipe or casing 27 or upon the flange 28 of the pipe or casing and the chain surrounding the pipe. leverage can be brought to bear upon the lever 1 to tighten the chain upon the pipe or casing and cause it to frictionally engage the pipe, whereby the pipe can be rotated. As the lower end of the member 21 is below the pin 20, the greater the pressure brought to bear upon the lever 1, the

greater the member 21 binds the chain and it is impossible for the "chain to slip between the block 17 and the member 21 due to the fact that the face 19 of the block and the end of the member 21 conform to the shape of the concave edges of the links 13 and 14:, and it is practically impossible to shear the ends of the links or to crush the same.

As will be seen, the gripping member 21 is positioned in such manner that there "is no requirement of any lateral movement of the chain links to place the latter in position, all movements of the chain being on a plane which intersects the link connections at right angles with the result that there is no torsional effect placed on the chain, either in placing it in position or during operation; in addition, the fact that the gripping member 21 contacts with the edges of the links and not with any of the pivots, causes all of the relative pressure which is provided by the holding means, 'to be exerted solely on parts which do not strain other than that provided by the links themselves, with the result that bending of the pivots to an extent which would afiect the free pivotal movements of the link members is eliminated.

It has been the practice heretofore, in

connection with chain wrenches, to prolong.

the pivot pins of the links of the chain and to resort to the use of gripping means for holding the protruding ends of the pins. In prolonging the pivot pins of the chain, the links always had a tendency to gradually shift toward the ends of the pins and in a great many instances parts of the chain became disconnected and at all times a wabbly and loosely constructed chain was used. By using the gripping member 21 and arranging it in the manner just described, the prolongation of the pivot pins of the links of the chain is obviated and in fact a chain having prolonged pivot pins could not be used, as the slot 3 is made just of a sufficient width to accommodate the chain. In lieu of prolonging the pivot pins of the links of the chain, the ends of the pins can be upset or riveted, whereby the links can be retained in place and the unity of the chain established. This is an important advantage of the construction embodied within the wrench, and another important feature is the fact that the stresses and strains set up while the wrench is in use is equally distributed in the head 2 of the lever 1, while the chain 12 is made more durable by the compact arrangement of the links 2. It is essential that the curvature of the end of the member 21 be such that the member can be easily swung out of engagement with the links of the chain and that when said member is in an open position, it is held whereby the chain can be readily adjusted within the slot 3.

What I claim is 1. A gripping mechanism embodying a lever having a chain connected thereto, and means including a gripping block and a pivoted gripping member adapted to re spectively engage opposite edges of said chain, the length of said member between the pivot and the gripping face being greater than the shortest distance between the pivot and the chain. whereby the pulling strain on the chain will chock the gripping member and chain against movement, said member being inclined toward the free end of the chain and free to move pivotally in the opposite direction to releasethe chock.

2. In a gripping mechanism, a movable jaw having its gripping face'substantially continuous from side to side, a chain memher, said jaw and member having a common pivotal axis and each movable independently of the other, the chain member being ,form tne pivots. so that the pivotal coni 50 nection of the links is not subjected. to

of less width than the jaw and mounted intermediate the sideedges of the jaw, a ,support for said jaw and member, and

means carried by said support for holding the chain in'adjusted position. said means including a member plvotally movable into and out of the path of movement of the I said lever and the opposite end adapted to extend through the slot of said lever, and a pivoted gripping member adapted to extend into the path of movement of the chain Within the lever slot and contact with the edges of the chain to retain the latter against withdrawal movement, said member being inclined toward the free end of the chain and having its pivot point and chain-con- ,tecting, face on opposite sides of a line eX- tending longitudinally and. centrally of the lever, a pivotal movement of the gripping member releasing the chain.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES MAHER.

Witnesses:

MAX H. SR0Lovrrz, CHRISTINA T. Hoon.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

